Top Endocrine Publications of 2013: Insulinoma and Other Causes of Hypoglycemia

Insulinoma in a dog, showing a solitary pancreatic nodule

In my fourth compilation of the canine and feline endocrine publications of 2013, I’m going back to disorders of the pancreas. But now let’s move on to islet cell tumors (e.g., insulinoma) and other causes of hypoglycemia.

Listed below are 9 research papers written in 2013 that review endocrine hypoglycemia in dogs and cats.

Most of these papers concentrate on canine insulinoma and include the following: New aspects in gene expression profiling of primary canine insulinomas and their metastases (1,8), an investigation of the use of medetomidine as an adjunct to the anesthetic management of dogs with insulinoma (2), evaluation of a new biweekly streptozotocin protocol for treatment of dogs with insulinoma (4), and finally, a case report of a dog that had an unusually prolonged, asymptomatic, disease-free interval after surgical treatment of insulinoma despite hepatic metastasis (6).

One of these 2013 papers describes a cat with insulinoma, a relatively rare feline endocrine tumor (7). This geriatric cat presented for evaluation of weakness and trembling associated with mild hypoglycemia. Ultrasound revealed a single pancreatic nodule (benign insulinoma), which was surgically excised, resulting in complete and prolonged resolution of all clinical signs associated with hypoglycemia.

Other papers include a review of the use of continuous glucose monitoring in dogs and cats (9), a study of the comparison of glucose fluctuations between day- and night-time measured using a continuous glucose monitoring system in diabetic dogs (3), and finally, a review of the hypoglycemia and liver toxicosis associated with xylitol toxicosis in dogs (5).

References:

1. Buishand FO, Kirpensteijn J, Jaarsma AA, et al. Gene expression profiling of primary canine insulinomas and their metastases. Vet J 2013;197:192-197. 
2. Guedes AG, Rude EP. Effects of pre-operative administration of medetomidine on plasma insulin and glucose concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with insulinoma. Vet Anaesth Analg 2013;40:472-481. 
3. Mori A, Kurishima M, Oda H, et al. Comparison of glucose fluctuations between day- and night-time measured using a continuous glucose monitoring system in diabetic dogs. J Vet Med Sci 2013;75:113-117. 
4. Northrup NC, Rassnick KM, Gieger TL, et al. Prospective evaluation of biweekly streptozotocin in 19 dogs with insulinoma. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27:483-490. 
5. Peterson ME. Xylitol. Top Companion Anim Med 2013;28:18-20. 
6. Rychel J, Worley DR, Hardy CS, et al. Prolonged survival in an aged labrador retriever with a metastatic insulinoma. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2013;49:224-229. 
7. Schaub S, Wigger A. Ultrasound-aided diagnosis of an insulinoma in a cat. Tierarztliche Praxis Ausgabe K, Kleintiere/Heimtiere 2013;41:338-342. 
8. Schermerhorn T. Canine insulinoma as a model for studying molecular genetics of tumorigenesis and metastasis. Vet J 2013;197:126-127. 
9. Surman S, Fleeman L. Continuous glucose monitoring in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2013;43:381-406. 

Top Endocrine Publications of 2013: Canine Diabetes Mellitus

In my second compilation of the canine and feline endocrine publications of 2013, I’m moving on to the theme of canine diabetes mellitus.

Listed below are 27 research papers written in 2013 that deal with a variety of topics and issues related primarily to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diabetes mellitus in dogs.

These range from studies of the possible gene defects that may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and obesity (1,5) to a review of diabetic nephropathy in animals (2); from a study of the impaired immune response of dogs with hyperglycemia (3) to a novel treatment of diabetic dogs with insulin and glucokinase gene therapy (4); from studies of the influence of diet on glucose metabolism in the dog (6,7,14,18) to investigations of glucagon-like peptide (GLP) receptor agonists and antagonists as antidiabetic agents (9,11,15,17); from studies of the use of insulin glargine (Lantus) in dogs with diabetes (12) to the effect of chronic diabetes on the loss of optic nerve axons and development of retinopathy in dogs (13).

Other studies included a review of the use continuous glucose monitoring systems in dogs (22) to the use of a continuous glucose monitoring system to investigate if nocturnal hypoglycemia occurs in diabetic dogs, as it does in man (16); from a study of diabetic remission in dogs after ovariohysterectomy and resolution of progesterone excess (19) to an investigation of the mechanism of insulin production in canine bone marrow-derived stem cells (23); and from a large study detailing the clinical features associated with the acquired proximal renal tubulopathy in dogs fed dried chicken treats (24) to the evaluation of a large series of dogs with the hyperosmolar hyperglycemia syndrome (25).

Finally, I've included 3 studies that involve human rather than canine diabetic patients, in which dogs are trained as "glycemia alert" animals to detect pending hypoglycemia in these human diabetic patients (8,10,21).

2013 Papers on Canine Diabetes Mellitus:

1. Batchelor DJ, German AJ, Shirazi-Beechey SP. Relevance of sodium/glucose cotransporter-1 (SGLT1) to diabetes mellitus and obesity in dogs. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2013;44:139-144. 
2. Bloom CA, Rand JS. Diabetes and the kidney in human and veterinary medicine. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2013;43:351-365. 
3. Bosco AM, de Almeida BF, Pereira PP, et al. High concentrations of glucose reduce the oxidative metabolism of dog neutrophils in vitro. BMC Vet Res 2013;9:24. 
4. Callejas D, Mann CJ, Ayuso E, et al. Treatment of diabetes and long-term survival following insulin and glucokinase gene therapy. Diabetes 2013;62:1718-1729. 
5. Catchpole B, Adams JP, Holder AL, et al. Genetics of canine diabetes mellitus: Are the diabetes susceptibility genes identified in humans involved in breed susceptibility to diabetes mellitus in dogs? Vet J 2013;195:139-147. 
6. Coate KC, Kraft G, Irimia JM, et al. Portal vein glucose entry triggers a coordinated cellular response that potentiates hepatic glucose uptake and storage in normal but not high-fat/high-fructose-fed dogs. Diabetes 2013;62:392-400. 
7. Coate KC, Smith MS, Shiota M, et al. Hepatic glucose metabolism in late pregnancy: normal versus high-fat and fructose diet. Diabetes 2013;62:753-761. 
8. Dehlinger K, Tarnowski K, House JL, et al. Can trained dogs detect a hypoglycemic scent in patients with type 1 diabetes? Diabetes Care 2013;36:e98-99. 
9. Edgerton DS, An Z, Johnson KM, et al. Effects of intraportal exenatide on hepatic glucose metabolism in the conscious dog. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2013;305:E132-139. 
10. Gonder-Frederick L, Rice P, Warren D, et al. Diabetic alert dogs: a preliminary survey of current users. Diabetes Care 2013;36:e47. 
11. Guzman-Perez A, Pfefferkorn JA, Lee EC, et al. The design and synthesis of a potent glucagon receptor antagonist with favorable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties as a candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013;23:3051-3058. 
12. Hess RS, Drobatz KJ. Glargine insulin for treatment of naturally occurring diabetes mellitus in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013;243:1154-1161. 
13. Howell SJ, Mekhail MN, Azem R, et al. Degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in diabetic dogs and mice: relationship to glycemic control and retinal capillary degeneration. Mol Vis 2013;19:1413-1421. 
14. Kimura T. The regulatory effects of resistant starch on glycaemic response in obese dogs. Arch Anim Nutr 2013;67:503-509. 
15. Moore MC, Werner U, Smith MS, et al. Effect of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist lixisenatide on postprandial hepatic glucose metabolism in the conscious dog. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2013;305:E1473-1482. 
16. Mori A, Kurishima M, Oda H, et al. Comparison of glucose fluctuations between day- and night-time measured using a continuous glucose monitoring system in diabetic dogs. J Vet Med Sci 2013;75:113-117. 
17. Oda H, Mori A, Lee P, et al. Characterization of the use of liraglutide for glycemic control in healthy and Type 1 diabetes mellitus suffering dogs. Res Vet Sci 2013;95:381-388. 
18. Ogbu SO, Agwu KK, Asuzu IU. Gongronema latifolium delays gastric emptying of semi-solid meals in diabetic dogs. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 2013;10:325-331. 
19. Poppl AG, Mottin TS, Gonzalez FH. Diabetes mellitus remission after resolution of inflammatory and progesterone-related conditions in bitches. Res Vet Sci 2013;94:471-473. 
20. Ramnanan CJ, Kraft G, Smith MS, et al. Interaction between the central and peripheral effects of insulin in controlling hepatic glucose metabolism in the conscious dog. Diabetes 2013;62:74-84. 
21. Rooney NJ, Morant S, Guest C. Investigation into the value of trained glycaemia alert dogs to clients with type I diabetes. PLoS One 2013;8:e69921. 
22. Surman S, Fleeman L. Continuous glucose monitoring in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2013;43:381-406. 
23. Takemitsu H, Zhao D, Ishikawa S, et al. Mechanism of insulin production in canine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013;189:1-6. 
24. Thompson MF, Fleeman LM, Kessell AE, et al. Acquired proximal renal tubulopathy in dogs exposed to a common dried chicken treat: retrospective study of 108 cases (2007-2009). Aust Vet J 2013;91:368-373. 
25. Trotman TK, Drobatz KJ, Hess RS. Retrospective evaluation of hyperosmolar hyperglycemia in 66 dogs (1993-2008). J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio) 2013;23:557-564.  
26. Winnick JJ, An Z, Kraft G, et al. Liver glycogen loading dampens glycogen synthesis seen in response to either hyperinsulinemia or intraportal glucose infusion. Diabetes 2013;62:96-101. 
27. Winnick JJ, Ramnanan CJ, Saraswathi V, et al. Effects of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 inhibition on hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2013;304:E747-756.